Action For Tinnitus Research says 17% of adults in Wales are estimated to experience symptoms such as persistent buzzing or ringing noises.

The charity wants more investment from the NHS in Wales to help find a cure.

It also wants tinnitus to be deemed a disability, so that patients can claim incapacity benefits.

The results of the survey - the first in more than 10 years - have been published on National Tinnitus Awareness Day on Tuesday.

Paul Pennington, of the charity, said the results were "quite shocking" and also disproved the belief that tinnitus just affected older people.

Just under one in 10 (9%) of adults in each of the 18-24, 25-34 and 35-44 age groups has been affected by tinnitus.

Wales leads the number of people with tinnitus with 17%, followed by the north-east of England(15%) and East Anglia (12%), said Mr Pennington.

"The fact that these areas including Wales have a heritage of heavy industries, where workers may have experienced loud noise, could be a factor," he added.

"But tinnitus is also a problem affecting today's younger people and it could be attributed to noise from music in clubs."

Pensioner Rosemary Wilson, 67, from Canton in Cardiff, has had tinnitus since she was 13.

'Woefully inadequate'

"I developed a head cold and, as people do, I had noises in my head but they never went way. I've had it all my life," she said.

That, coupled with another ear condition which requires syringing and has appeared to make the tinnitus worse, has made Mrs Wilson very depressed.

"I was a very depressed state. I did not want to get up in the mornings. I just did not have any interest in life," she said.

Mr Pennington said research into tinnitus was being carried out at Leicester University and other centres but that public funding into finding a cure had been "woefully inadequate".

"We're hoping through this awareness campaign that the Welsh assembly will provide resources for tinnitus services and support research in Wales."

A spokesman for the assembly government said a statement would be released on Tuesday.

From BBC News